Hardly Working at Relationships : The Overachieving Underperformer's Guide to Living Like You're Single When You're Not

by Chris Bishop; Mike Pisiak

• ISBN13: 9781416900238
• ISBN10: 1416900233
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-04-26
• Publisher: Gallery

Summary

THE BOOK YOUR GIRLFRIEND DOESN'T WANT YOU TO BUY

Hardly Working at Relationships is for anyone who wants to savor the fun and freedom of the single life even when ensnared in a healthy relationship. Whether you ar

Table of Contents

Introduction	7	(4)
Section I: Finding the Right Gal
1 Beauty Fades...Slowly	11	(2)
2 Some Friendly Advice	13	(2)
3 A Glimpse of the Future	15	(3)
4 Smart but Not Smarter	18	(3)
Chick Tricks: Spendthrift or Miser: What Kind of Woman Can You Afford?	20	(1)
5 She's Got...Personality: How Much Hotness Are You Willing to Trade?	21	(3)
Section II: The Date: General Principles
6 First Things First: Early Dating Strategies	24	(2)
7 The Un-Occasioned Gift: A Sucker's Bet	26	(2)
8 Dining Out: The Dutch Know How to Treat a Lady	28	(4)
Chick Tricks: The Thursday-Night Drinks Date: Cutting to the Chase	31	(1)
9 Home Cooking: Making Lazy and Cheap Seem Quaint and Romantic	32	(3)
10 Movie Night: You Pick the Flick	35	(3)
11 Celebrating Feminism: How Women's Lib Saved Mankind	38	(2)
Section III: The Date: Contingency Planning
12 Going Nowhere: Making Your Exit	40	(2)
13 Your Place vs. Hers: Pros and Cons	42	(2)
14 Home Alone: Outfoxing the Sleepover Trap	44	(3)
Section IV: Living Together
15 Housework: Your Sworn Enemy	47	(2)
16 Controlling the Remote: Television Turf Wars	49	(4)
Chick Tricks: Naps: They're Not Just for Toddlers	52	(1)
17 All That Glitters...: The War of Cleanliness	53	(3)
Section V: The Workplace
18 Hold My Calls: Keeping Her Out of Your Work Life	56	(2)
19 Hiding Your Money: Playing Down Your Net Worth	58	(2)
20 The Sugar Mama: Mooching off Her Success	60	(2)
Section VI: Diet and Exercise
21 "You Look Fat in That" and Other Subtle Asides	62	(2)
Chick Tricks: Ogling a Woman in Front of Her	63	(1)
22 Complimenting Her Looks: The Value of the Outright Lie	64	(1)
23 The New Food Pyramid: Using Fad Diets to Your Advantage	65	(1)
24 Golf and Bowling: The Lazy Man's Cardio and Weight Training	66	(2)
Section VII: A Night Out with the Guys
25 The Escape	68	(5)
26 Legitimate Reasons for Being Unreachable	73	(4)
27 Swearing to Tell the Truth...to a Point	77	(5)
Chick Tricks: To Lie or Not to Lie: An Instructional Chart	81	(1)
28 Sneaking Back In	82	(3)
Section VIII: Holidays and Observances
29 It's My Party, Really: The Surprise Party You Didn't Plan	85	(3)
30 The Holidays: The Twelve Days of Cheapness	88	(6)
Chick Tricks: Girlfriend Gift-Giving Guide	92	(2)
31 Massacring Valentine's Day	94	(6)
32 Negotiating Anniversaries: Dodging Milestones	100	(2)
33 Event Stacking: 1 + 1 = 1	102	(1)
34 I Made It Myself: The Homemade Gift	103	(2)
35 Getting Yours	105	(2)
Section IX: Her Parents
36 Pleased Not to Meet You	107	(3)
37 "Such a Nice Boy!"	110	(2)
38 Connecting with Her Dad	112	(3)
39 Prince-Charming Her Mom	115	(3)
Section X: Fighting
40 Don't Take the Bait: Avoidance Techniques	118	(2)
41 Winning Strategies	120	(5)
Chick Tricks: Tears: Your Secret Weapon	124	(1)
42 The Benefits of Losing Outright	125	(2)
Section XI: The Vacation
43 Getting Her Involved	127	(5)
Chick Tricks: The Where-to-Go Vacation Chart	130	(2)
44 Around the World on 80 Bucks: Vacations on a Budget	132	(2)
45 Separate Vacations: The Holy Grail	134	(4)
Section XII: Love
46 Recognizing the Signs	138	(2)
47 Better Left Unsaid: Avoiding the L-Word	140	(2)
Chick Tricks: Taking the Love out of "Love"	141	(1)
48 Making the Best of a Good Situation	142	(3)
Section XIII: Marriage
49 Delaying the Inevitable: Rules of Nonengagement	145	(4)
Chick Tricks: The Five Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Get Married	147	(2)
50 If All Else Fails: How to Live Happily Ever After	149	(4)
Section XIV: The End of the Affair.
51 The Four Methods of Breaking Up	153	(4)
52 The Biggest Mistake: Post-Breakup Sex and How to Do It	157	(2)
53 Moving On: The Rebound Girl	159	(1)
Afterword	160